The 3 Angels Prophesized & The Last Work Of Salvation
THE ENTIRE WORK of salvation in the Christian era is written in the Book of Revelation. The first work of salvation was that which was led by the Lamb:
“THEN I looked, and behold, a Lamb standing on Mount Zion, and with Him one hundred and forty-four thousand, having His Father’s name written on their foreheads…
“These are the ones who were not defiled with women, for they are virgins. These are the ones who follow the Lamb wherever He goes. These were redeemed from among men, being first fruits to God and to the Lamb.”
(Reference: Rev. 14:1, NKJV, Emphasis Mine)
The first fruits numbering 144,000 were with the Lamb and redeemed from among men. The Lamb referred to is our Lord Jesus Christ (Jn. 1:29) and those redeemed are members of the Church of Christ that was purchased with His blood (Acts 20:28, Lamsa Translation). The 144,000 who were assured of salvation belong to the 12 tribes of Israel and were, therefore, Jews:
“Of His own will He brought us forth by the word of truth, that we might be a kind of firstfruits of His creatures.
“James, a bondservant of God and of the Lord Jesus Christ, To the twelve tribes which are scattered abroad: Greetings.”
(Reference: James 1:18, 1 NKJV, Emphasis Mine)
The Jews who became members of the Church of Christ in Judea (Gal. 1:22, Lamsa Translation) were the first fruits of the first work of salvation in the Christian era.
THE SECOND WORK OF SALVATION
The First Angel (Messenger)
The next work of salvation was that of the first angel:
“Then I saw another angel flying in the midst of heaven, having the everlasting gospel to preach to those who dwell on earth to every nation, tribe, tongue, and people— “Saying with a loud voice, Fear God and give glory to Him, for the hour of His judgment has come; and worship Him who made heaven and earth, the sea and springs of water.'” (Rev. 14:6-7 NKJV, Emphasis Mine)
The angel referred to is an angel of the Church [“To the angel of the church of Ephesus write,…” (Rev. 2-1, NKJV)], meaning, a minister:
“Angel, Literally ‘messenger.’… (2) A minister or pastor of a Church, Rev. 2:1.”
(Reference: Crudence Complete Concordance to the Old and New Testament, p. 16, Emphasis Mine)
The prophesied angel in Revelation 14:6-7 is a preacher of the gospel, preaching to every nation, tribe, tongue, and people. His aim is to give glory to God. Apostle Paul was the fulfillment of this prophecy since he preached to the Gentiles that they should turn to the living God and that God had appointed a day in which He will judge the world (Acts 14:14-15; 17:22, 27-31). He converted the Gentiles to the Church of Christ (Rom. 15:16; 16:4, 16). His preaching function was the second work of salvation.
THE SECOND ANGEL
The Second Angel (Messenger)
The work of commissioning that followed the first-century Church of Christ was that of the second angel who testified, “Babylon is fallen”:
“And another angel followed, saying, ‘Babylon is fallen, is fallen’.” (Rev. 14:8 NKJV, Emphasis Mine)
The fulfillment of this prophecy about the second angel is Martin Luther who was foremost in initiating the Reformation Movement within the Catholic Church in the 16th century.
The Babylon referred to is the “dwelling place of demons” (Rev. 18:2). It also refers to the “MOTHER OF HARLOTS who sits on many waters” (Rev. 17:5,1). The “many waters” on which Babylon sits are “peoples, multitudes, nations, and tongues” (Rev. 17:15). We know that a harlot is a woman of ill-refute and she sits on many waters or is universal.
The true Church, on the other hand, is likened to a chaste virgin (II Cor. 11:2). Babylon, the “mother of harlots,” is also a church, but not the true Church.
The “mother of harlots” or church is recognized by the name “Babylon” and is synonymous with Rome:
“The word ‘church’ is not expressed, but is evidently meant to be understood, in the Greek. There can be little doubt that Babylon means Rome.”
(Reference: The Papal Encyclicals in their Historical Context by Anne Fremantle, 1963, p.34, Emphasis Mine)
“Babylon, i.e., Rome. Babylon... declaring that St. Peter by ‘Babylon’ means Rome. … symbolical designation of Rome … Accordingly, we find an absolute consensus of ancient interpreters that there Babylon must be understood as equivalent to Rome.'”
(Reference: Question Box, Replies to Questions Received on Missions to Non-Catholics By Rev. Bertrand L. Conway, Permissu Superiorum: John B. Harney, Cs.P., Superior General, Nihil Obstat: Arthur J. Scanlan, S.T.D., Censor Librorum, Imprimatur: Patrick Cardinal Hayes, Archbishop, Pub: 1903, pp. 133-134, Emphasis Mine)
The church that bears the name “Rome” and is universal is the “Babylon” referred to in the Book of Revelation as “THE MOTHER OF HARLOTS,” the habitation of demons. Which church has the name Rome and is universal? James Cardinal Gibbons testified thus:
“That the Roman Catholic Church alone deserves the name of Catholic is so evident that it is ridiculous to deny it. Ours is the only Church which adopts this name as her official title.
“The word Catholic, or Universal, signifies that … she is diffused over every nation of the globe, and counts her children among all tribes and peoples and tongues of the earth.”
(Reference: The Faith Of Our Fathers: Being A Plain Exposition And Vindication of The Church Founded By Our Lord Jesus Christ, By James Cardinal Gibbons, Pub: 1904 pp. 32, 29, Emphasis Mine)
Thus, the Babylon is the Roman Catholic Church. This is the church that is universal as Catholic authorities themselves admit and is, therefore, the one mentioned by the second angel as “Babylon is fallen.”
That “Babylon” or the Catholic Church is fallen means it is without foundation (Lk. 6:49, NKJV) or is not founded on the Lord Jesus Christ who is the true foundation of the Church (Eph. 2:20-22, Ibid.).
The fact that the Roman Catholic Church is not founded upon Christ but upon Peter proves that it turned away from Christ:
“In the doctrine of the supreme power of Peter, as the visible foundation of the Church…
“The Church, of which Peter is the foundation…”
(Reference: The Faith Of Our Fathers: Being A Plain Exposition And Vindication of The Church Founded By Our Lord Jesus Christ, By James Cardinal Gibbons, Pub: 1904 pp.13, 122, Emphasis Mine)
“…the churches of the West even in the second century had begun to look up to Rome with reverence because that Church, having been founded by Saint Peter, had received at first hand apostolic instruction and benediction.
(Reference: The Apostles’ Creed: An Examination of Its History and An Exposition of Its Contents By Henry Wheeler, D.D., Pub: 1912, p. 158, Emphasis Mine)
The second angel or messenger, Martin Luther, testified that the Catholic Church is fallen. His attempt to reform the Catholic Church though failed.
The Roman Church held on to unscriptural teachings and continued in its apostasy. This church, being the mother of harlots, and the various Protestant churches that emerged from her are not God’s work of salvation. God, therefore, has appointed the reemergence of the true Church of Christ in these last days that His work of salvation may continue.
THE LAST WORK OF SALVATION
The Third Angel (Messenger)
The prophecy written in the Book of Revelation reveals the last work of salvation led by the third angel:
“Then a third angel followed them, saying with a loud voice, ‘If anyone worships the beast and his image, and receives his mark on his forehead or on his hand,’…” (Rev. 14:9 NKJV, Emphasis Mine)
The work of the third angel or messenger is to warn people who have received the mark of the beast on their forehead or on their hand. He is to execute God’s work of salvation until the time of harvest (Rev. 14:14-15) or until the end of the world (Mt. 13:39).
The signs indicating that the end of the world is at hand are wars, famines, earthquakes, and sufferings (Mt. 24:3, 6-8). These signs signal that the end is near (Mt. 24:33). The work of the third angel will extend up to the end of the world because he is the messenger of God from the ends of the earth as prophesied by Isaiah:
“You whom I have taken from the ends of the earth, and called you from its farthest regions, and said to you, ‘You are my servant, I have chosen you and have not cast you away’.”
(Reference: Isa. 41:9 NKJV, Emphasis Mine)
The fulfillment of the wars mentioned in the prophecy that would involve nations were the First World War and the Second World War. The First World War broke out on July 27, 1914, marking the beginning of the period “ends of the earth.” End(s) of the earth refers to a time entirely different from the “end of the earth.” Both are expressions of time, but the latter refers to the time when the world will meet its end, which is on the day of Judgment or the Second Coming of our Lord Jesus Christ (Mat. 24:3). The “end(s) of the earth” pertains to the time when the end of the world is near or at its doors. We believe that the fulfillment of the prophecy concerning the third angel who would begin the work of salvation in this period is Brother Felix Y. Manalo.
What are the signs of the commencing of the “end(s) of the earth?”
Our Lord Jesus Christ gave signs that when seen happening, will signify that the end is near or that the time “end(s) of the earth” has already begun to unfold which are the beginning of sorrows or birth pangs:
“…when you see all these things, know that it is near ― at the doors. And you will hear of wars and rumors of wars. See that you are not troubled; for all these things must come to pass, but the end is not yet. For nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom. And there will be famines, pestilences, and earthquakes in various places. All these are the beginning of sorrows.”
(Reference: Matt. 24:33; 24:6-8 NKJV, Emphasis Mine)
Among the signs that portend the unfolding of the period “ends of the earth” is the war that would be rumored or widely talked about. In fulfillment, this war is World War One of 1914:
“Jesus now tells His followers how they could discern when the world was actually entering into the beginning of the birth pangs that would bring about the rebirth of Israel and ultimately the establishment of the Kingdom of God on earth. The approach of the end of the age would see several phenomena on the earth occurring at the same time. Those phenomena, would be: 1. Many nations rising up against many other nations 2. Kingdoms rising against kingdoms 3. Famines 4. Disease epidemics 5. Earthquakes in various places. In Mark 13 the word troubles is used by our Lord instead of disease epidemics… Wars between nations, or even between kingdoms, is and has been a common occurrence. History has recorded famines at various times. There have been times of great disease epidemics. There have been earthquakes in the past, but increasingly so in the present day. Jesus tells His disciples, however, to be awaiting a specific time during which all of these phenomena would be in evidence at the same time. The first such time in world history occurred during the years of World War I (1914-1918) …”
(Reference: Matt. 24:6-8 footnote, Last Days Bible, Emphasis Mine)
It is during this period that the prophesied 3rd angel or messenger would emerge. This is no other than Brother Felix Manalo, who registered the Iglesia Ni Cristo with the Philippine government on July 27, 1914 — the exact same date when “World War One” broke out by biblical prophecy which marks the time “end(s) of the earth”:
“The first great campaign on the southeastern battle grounds of the Great War began on July 27, 1914, when the Austrian troops undertook their first invasion of Serbia.”
(Reference: The Story of the Great War, Vol. 3, p. 923, Emphasis Mine)
There will not be another work of salvation because Brother Felix Y. Manalo is God’s last messenger — his mission is to begin during the time of the ends of the earth and will extend up to Judgment Day (Is. 41:9, 4).
As previously mentioned, the third angel would warn those who have the mark on their forehead or on their right hand. This is the mark of Roman Catholics — the “sign of the cross” In the Book titled: “The Externals of the Catholic Church” this is what we can read:
“How the Sign is Made: The making of the sign of the cross… is that which every Catholic learns in early childhood – the putting of the right hand to the forehead …”
(Reference: The Externals Of The Catholic Church; A Handbook Of Catholic Usage By RT. REV. MSGR. John F. Sullivan, D.D., Nhil Obstat: John M.A. Fearns, S.T.D., Censor Librorum, Imprimatur: Francis Cardinal Spellman, Archbishop, Pub: 1951, p. 218, Emphasis Mine)
Those who have this mark are bound to perdition in the lake of fire, the second death (Rev. 14:9-11; 20:14).
The mission of God’s last messenger is to preach the Church of Christ that was redeemed with Christ’s blood (Rev. 14:13; Acts 20:28, Lamsa Translation). This Church is the last work of salvation before the Second Advent of the Lord Jesus Christ.
IN CONCLUSION
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WE KINDLY EXTEND our visitors to an invitation to explore the prophecies of the last messenger of God, who worked to reestablish the true Church of Christ. To gain further insight into this subject, we invite you to visit the following link below, which provides information on various topics related to God’s last messenger:
God's Last Messenger
AFTER THE GREAT Apostasy, it was prophesied by the bible that the true Church Of Christ, necessary for man’s salvation, would reemerge in the Far East through God’s last messenger in these last days. This messenger’s mission is to restore the original Church Of Christ and its pristine teachings of Christ and to introduce the one true God – the Father…
The Apostasy
AFTER THE DEATH of Jesus Christ and His Apostles, the Apostasy took place. Christians were hunted down, persecuted, and killed, causing the church to drift from the original teachings of Christ and His Apostles. False teachings emerged, leading to the contamination of the pure doctrine. With the Apostles no longer around to defend the truth, the Church Of Christ evolved into a different organization ( the Catholic Church), adopting many pagan rituals and deviating from the pristine gospel established by Christ. This era is known as the “Great Apostasy.”
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